German Wirehaired Pointers
trace their origins back to the late 1800s. They originated in Germany, where
breeders wanted to develop a rugged, versatile hunting dog that would work
closely with either one person or a small party of people hunting on foot in
varied terrain; from the mountainous regions of the Alps, to the dense forests,
to more open areas with farms and small towns. The breed the Germans desired
had to have a coat that would protect the dogs when working in heavy cover or in
cold water, yet be easy to maintain. The goal was to develop a wire-coated,
medium-sized dog that could search for, locate and point upland game; work both
feather and fur with equal skill; retrieve waterfowl; be a close-working, easily
trained gun dog; be able to track and locate wounded game; be fearless when
hunting “sharp” game as fox; be a devoted companion and pet; and, be a watchdog
for its owners’ gamily and property. In 1959, the breed was recognized by the
American Kennel Club and the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America (GWPCA)
was established. Today, the German wirehaired pointer is one of the most
popular dogs in Germany, where it is known as the Drahthaar. It
came to America in the 1920s and achieved AKC recognition in
1959.

Are GWP's a Healthy
Breed?

Generally GWPs are healthy, long-lived dogs, with many
individuals reaching 14-16 years of age. As with any large-breed dog, hip
dysplasia may be a concern. Buyers should verify that the breeder of their new
pup has screened for this crippling joint disease in the sire & dam, and that the dog’s family
includes animals that are certified by OFA (the Orthopedic Foundation for
Animals) or PennHip to be clear of hip dysplasia. The breed has also seen an increase issue with
Cardiac and Thyroid disease and these diseases should be tested in breeding
stock. The ultimate goal for health testing any GWP is to follow the CHIC
guidelines. CHIC along with the German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America
established a recommended health screening protocol for all breeders. This
protocol involves testing breeding stock for OFA Hips, elbows, thyroid, cardiac, CERF
(Eye) and
Von Willebrand’s Disease. For more information on any of these diseases, visit
www.offa.org

How
Much Exercise Is Needed for a GWP?

Exercise is a daily requirement for this
energetic dog and a fenced in area is a must. The ideal situation would be to
combine exercise with hunting or some type of activity to stimulate his/her mind,
activities could include retrieving, swimming, tracking, agility, tricks and so
forth. A 15 minute walk after work will not suffice for this active breed. GWP's
thrive on human companionship, it
does best as a house-dog with access to the outdoors. GWP's also need to be
taught basic obedience and socialized early to other dogs and humans is a must,
because of their aloof personality early socialization is critical.

Do GWP's Coat
Shed?

The functional wiry coat is the breed's most
distinctive feature. A dog must have a correct coat to be of correct type.
The coat is weather resistant and, to some extent, water-repellent. The
outer coat is straight, harsh, wiry and flat lying to protect the dog from
rough cover in the field and may require minimal hand-stripping. The GWP
coat also does not shed drastically or "blow" their coat
twice a year like many breeds, all dogs do shed, however, GWP's just shed at a
rate that is not normally very noticeable. The coat should be one to two inches long. On the GWP head the coat should be naturally shorter except for the eyebrow and
beard. Coat colors are usually liver and white spotted or roan, solid liver
or white but the head should have liver color that covers the ears and
around the eyes. Black is sometimes seen instead of liver.

I Want a GWP as
a Pet Why are Titles Important To Me?

Unless you have the opportunity to actually meet
the sire & dam, work them in the field or just watch how they handle things
in different situations, titles can give you a good guideline about their
personality, abilities and your breeder goals. Titles demonstrate that the
sire & dam are successful in areas that are important to the breed; that
they have a personality and/or temperament that is comfortable in public
forums and in possible stressful situations; that they can be trained in
different venues; and that the breeder is involved with organizations and
events that support GWP's You want a puppy that come from well rounded,
adjusted, trainable and good tempered sire & dam... titles can give you some
insight into these qualities.

What Are Their
Temperaments Like?

The GWP is a complex breed. Intelligence, strong
desire to please, sharpness are all qualities that make up the typical GWP.
Many, GWP's have a clown-like side to their personalities. They can be
active, busy dogs that amuse themselves with various games. Along with the
intelligence and will the Wirehair possesses, the breed also has the
capability to be very creative and somewhat independent. They prefer to
work for who they like and will very often create their own rules of
engagement. Wirehairs generally are a high energy, high drive, though not
“hyper”, breed and the need for a “job” is a must! Even if the job
description includes only retrieving newspapers and slippers, this breed
needs to be given meaningful work.

It is their intelligence, however, that can
become the GWP's downfall. Without interaction with their family, GWP's can
become easily bored. Without mental stimulus, they can become destructive
and noisy in their attempt to "find something to do." Because of their
desire to please, the GWP does not require nor respond well to harsh or
heavy-handed training. Most truly do not like to be 'on the outs' with their
people, and can be corrected with a sharp 'NO!' A GWP that is treated
harshly or roughly may completely turn off, becoming fearful, sulky and/or
remote, or may become a biter.

On the other hand, when permitted to develop a
close relationship with one or more people, and when trained with respect
for his intelligence and desire to please the GWP is a willing and able
partner who will continue to amaze you with his quickness to learn and his
desire to perform. In general, there are few more loving or
interesting breeds.

Do GWP's Make Good Family Pets?

GWP's are extremely devoted dogs. When raised in a home with one owner, they
become very definite one-person dogs. When raised in a home with several people,
including children, they become devoted to the whole family, although some dogs
may attach more strongly to one member of the household.

GWP's make superb companion dogs and pets. In fact, they crave human
companionship, doing best in a home where they are permitted a very warm, close
relationship with 'their people'. They are one Sporting Breed that does not make
a good kennel dog, nor a dog that lives all its life in a backyard with little
contact with humans.

Do They Make Good
Watch Dogs?

The typical GWP craves human companionship. The breed is also primarily a
hunting dog. For these reasons, they are not recommended as candidates for
formal guard dog training and work. However, because of the GWP's personality to be aloof towards strangers they
do let their owners know when a stranger is on the property. It is important to note that "aloof" does not mean "vicious." An adult GWP
will be reserved or "aloof" with
strangers, but they should by no means be aggressive toward people.

ow is a GWP Different
From a German Shorthair Pointer?

Other than the obvious difference of coat the two breeds are very different.
While both breeds originated at about the same time, with the GSP slightly
older, each was developed from distinctly different root stock. These difference
not only make the two breeds different in coat texture and facial furnishings
but they have different temperament and personality. GWP's have known to be more
aloof towards strangers and more protective over their owners. They also have a
calmer demeanor and not as hyper as a GSP.

What are Some of
Things I Can Do With a GWP?

First, and most important, enjoy one
of the closest and most interesting relationships with a dog
that you are ever likely to experience. Then ask yourself what
you enjoy doing. It's pretty likely your GWP can participate.

Aside from its unique coat, one of the most distinguishing
features of the GWP is its versatility and its adaptability.
Waterfowl retriever...Pointer of upland game birds...Blood
tracker of wounded deer...Hunter and Retriever of fox, hare,
rabbit and similar small furred game; this breed is all of this
and more.

GWP's have competed successfully in Schutzhund trials in
Germany. In Scandanavia, in addition to hunting, the breed
competes in a form a ski racing in which the dog pulls its human
partner, the skier, by means of a special harness.

In North America, the breed is a popular personal gun dog in
addition to having achieved success in AKC Field Trials, Hunt
Test and NAVHDA. The GWPCA has long stressed the dual purpose dog throughout its
history. Unlike other members of the Sporting Group, with few
exceptions, there is still no split between 'field type' and
'show type.'

In the US, the breed has had many Best in Show winners, and a
large number who have won or placed in group. It also has many
dogs with agility, obedience and tracking titles. A sizeable percentage
of titled GWP's have achieved titles in more than one activity,
and many show, agility and obedience dogs are also used as
hunting dogs.

In fact, attaining excellence in more than one field of
endeavor is not uncommon to the breed. Several hundred GWP's
have run in North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA)
tests since that organization's founding in 1969, and a high
percentage qualified in those tests. Many of those dogs were
also show champions, field champions, hunting title holders and
obedience title holders. Many have done well in National Shoot
to Retrieve trials.

GWP's have performed with the Ringling Bros. circus (one was
a show champion), and have acted in movies. The star of Walt
Disney's movies The Biscuit Eater and Bristleface were both
GWP's. As with most 'stars', there were even several fellow
GWP's who acted as stand-ins!

This is a breed that enjoys plenty of exercise. Even GWP
owners who prefer not to participate in any particular organized
dog activity find that their dog makes an excellent companion on
camping and fishing trips (your dog will want to retrieve your
bait and your fish!). They even make fine jogging companions.

In short, the activities in which you can participate with
your GWP are limited only by your interests, financial
resources, the location in which you live, and the time you have
available to devote to your dog's training